1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to valve structures and, more particularly, to an improved, automatically actuated, pressure responsive air intake valve for use in an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Background
Internal combustion engines produce power through operation of the well known xe2x80x9cOtto Cyclexe2x80x9d which is characterized by the ignition of a fuel/air mixture within a power cylinder of the engine. The Otto Cycle, whether in a four cycle or two cycle engine, involves the introduction of the fuel and air into the working chamber of the engine, compression of the fuel/air mixture by a piston, ignition of the fuel/air mixture within the working chamber above the piston to cause power motion of the piston, and exhaust of the spent combustion gases from the working chamber. The inlet and exhaust of air and combustion gases from the working chamber are traditionally achieved through valved openings which control the flow of fuel mixture and combustion gases to and from the cylinder.
Several attempts have been made in the past to modify the structure of air intake valves to in turn increase the efficiency of the engine, but only to limited success. However, a significant need remains in the art to provide an air intake valve of simplified construction and which is less expensive than devices previously known, and which provides consistent, automatic actuation without the need for cams or other mechanically, electrically, or otherwise actuated devices.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved air intake valve for an internal combustion engine which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an air intake valve for an internal combustion engine capable of improving the performance of an internal combustion engine, and which is of simplified construction and less expensive to manufacture than previously known air intake valves.
According to the present invention, the above-described and other objects are accomplished by providing an improved, automatically actuated, pressure responsive air intake valve for an internal combustion engine comprising two primary components, namely, a fixed valve seat housing and a sliding valve member. The valve seat housing is preferably threaded into an opening in the head of a working chamber on an internal combustion engine, or may alternately be machined directly into the head. The sliding valve member is configured to reciprocate through the hollow interior of the valve seat housing (whether configured as a member threaded into the head or as an integrally machined opening within the head) in response to differential pressures on either side of the valve. The sliding member has a hollow chamber running along its interior parallel to its primary axis, and has a single, round opening in a sidewall at the base of the slider member adjacent the valve seat face on the housing. The boring of the interior of the slider member is accomplished such that a smooth transition is provided for directing the stream of air outward from the valve structure. The internal surface of the bore follows the contour of a partial sphere in order to turn the stream of air traveling through the valve from a direction parallel to the primary axis of the valve to a direction perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the primary axis of the valve, and in a coherent stream, without the omni dispersal (i.e., the dispersal in all directions more or less perpendicular to that of the axis of the sliding direction of the valve) common to the usual type of intake valve used in most internal combustion engines. By providing multiple valves in the head of the cylinder, each of which is arranged so that its discharge is neither parallel to, nor opposite that of any other, a swirling effect may be accomplished which enhances the cooling effect of the admitted air on the power cylinder""s components (in turn reducing the wear and tear on the same), and more efficiently mixing the fuel/air mixture to provide for increased overall engine efficiency and reduced fuel consumption.